Cap extractor



June 11, 1929. w. H. MATTHIES CAP EXTRACTOR Filed Oct: 13, 1928 4 Patented June 11, 1929.

un rsn stares earner @FFHCEQ- WILLIAM H. MATTHIES, or CHICAGO, ILLInoIs, ASSIGNOB or ONE-HALF 'roiAnnnnw n. MOORE, OFOHIGAGO, ILLINOIS.

CA]? EXT BACTOR.

Application filed October 13, 1928. Serial No. 312,226.

This invention relates to'extractors for container stoppers, and more particularly to extractors of the type employed in removing paperor composition stoppers. and the like, such as are commonly used on milk bottles.

The primary object of the invention is to provide an extractor of the above character which contains means to coact with the neck p of a bottle in preventing accidental displace- A further object is to provide an extractor for bottle stoppers which is operable to strip 7 the stopper from the extractor after its removal from a bottle.

Another object resides in the provision of an extractor of the above character which will obviate the necessity of manuallyhandling the stopper itself when it is either to be restored to the mouth of the bottle or discarded as of no further use.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a cap remover embodying the features of the prescut invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing the cap.

removerin position on a bottle, ready to punctureand extract the stopper.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view ofa preferred form of guide or base comprising a part of the cap remover.

Fig. i is an elevational View of the cap remover.

Nhile the cap remover illustrated in the drawings embodies the preferred form of the invention, it is to be understood that I do not intend to be limited by the particular form disclosed, but aim to cover all modifications and alternative constructions falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

In its exemplary form the invention is illustrated as applied to a milk bottle of conventional shape for the purpose of removing a wafer-like paper cap. Such bottles are ordinarily provided with a contracted neck-section surmounted by an annu lar rim 10 in which is formed a lip or shoulder 11 upon which a suitable cap 12 may be seated.

The diameter of the cap 12 is sufficiently larger than that of the inner surface 13 to afford a snug wedged fit between the cap and the bottle.

In attempting to pierce the relatively tough cap with devices heretofore known,

buckling of the cap sometimes occurs, with an incident splashing of the contents of the bottle. The usefulness of the cover in protecting the remaining contents of the bottle is likewise impaired. Quite as frequently, however, the user applies a prong to the surface of the cap at a slight angle from the horizontal which sometimes causes the cap to slide suddenly from the top of the bottle, splashing its contents as described.

This invention contemplates the provision of means to effectively hold a cap in position during the application of a prong for the purpose of effecting its removal and tothis end a base or guard, in the form of a circular plate 14, has been provided whose dipreviously 7 v ameter is substantially that of a standard 7 milk bottle neck thus insuring its snugly resting within the top of the bottle and providing anadequate guard against asudden or premature displacement ofthe cap;

A novel structure has been provided to effect the removal of a cap being held-against flexing or displacement by the plate 14, such structure comprising in this instance a prong 15 carried bya lever 16 which is pivoted to the plate 14. In the present embodiment the prong 15 is struck from one end of a flat-oblong plate, the opposite end of which serves as a handle with which the prong may be manipulated.

It is desirable to apply a prong to a cap to be removed in such away as to cause as little deformation of the cap asis possible,

and it is likewise preferable that the perforation be made at a point near the periphery of the cap so that its removal can be effected progressively around its edge rather than bodily and abruptly as would be the case were the perforation to be made near' its center.

In efli'ectlng these advantageous results the. plate 14 is caused to coact with the prong 15 so as to guide it into contact with are formed on the edges of the handle 16 of such size as to be loosely journaled in the alined holes 18. i

,To permit the prong 15 to traverse the planeof the plate 14 to perforate a cap thereunder, the plate is provided with a hole 20'near its periphery of such size as to permit free movement of the prong and the latter is arcuately formed on a radius equivalent to the distance from the axis of the alined holes 18 in the ears17, to the hole 20 in the plate. 14. It will be apparent that the handlewillmove about its trunnions 19 as an axis and the prong 15 will move concentrically with the handle and on a radius such as to cause it to pass through the hole 20.

Manual handling of a milk bottle cap to restore it to position in the mouth of abottle is an objectionable practice in that it introduces the possibility of contamination of the contents of the bottle. For considerations of cleanliness it is likewise undesirable to be obliged to handle a stopper to effect its disengagement from the stopper extractor when it is no longer to be used. In the disclosed form of the present invention provision is made for the accomplishment of each of these objectives; 7

-After a stopper "has been removed it will be retained in position uponthe prong 15 as a result of the relatively high frictional effect producedby the oblong cross section of the prong in contact with the tough material of the cap. The extractor, with stopper engaged, may then be rested on edge with the plane of the handle approximately perpendicular to the surface upon which it is placed thus causing the exposed stopper to stand upright out of contact with surfaces or objects which might result'in its contamination. When it is desired to replace the cap upon a bottle the operator need only grasp the handle of the extractor to guide the cap into place and it may then be forced upon its seat by the application of pressure to the plate 14 after which the prong may be retracted- In the event the stopper is to be discarded after removal it can be stripped from the extractor by a slight pressure upon example, the device is grasped by the handle 16 and the pivoted plate 14 is placed in position in the mouth of the bottle in con tact with the cap. The handle is then moved downwardly, pressure meanwhile being applied longitudinally ofthe handle to retain the cap in place. The downward movement of the handle is continued until the prong penetrates the cover and the handle is brought in contact with the rim of the bottle. A slight additional downward movement of the handle about the rim of the bottle as a fulcrum will cause the edge of the cap adjacent the prong to be lifted from its seat and the cap may then be completely removed 7 by continuing the downward movement of the handle or by lifting the remover directly from the top of the bottle.

It will be apparent that I have provided a novel and efficient means by which caps and the like may be removed from bottles or containers. In providing a means for holding a cap stationary while being punctured I have at once insured the operator against possible splashing andat the same time prevented distortion of the cap which would impair its usefulness in protecting the remaining contents of the bottle. By guiding a prong into contact with the cap I have effected a substantially perpendicular penetration,thereby minimizing the extentv of material to be punctured and further preventing the mutilation of the cap.

I claim as my invention:

1. A device for extracting disk stoppers from milk bottles or the like comprising, in combination, a disk-like base member shaped to fit into the mouth of the bottle and overlie a stopper, said member having a pair of integral upstanding lugs, a lever having trunnions formed integral therewith adjacent one of its ends, said trunnions being pivoted in said upstanding lugs, an integral elongated prong partially cut and struck downwardly from said lever longitudinally of the axis thereof adjacent said trunnions and curved on an arc concentric with the axis of said trunnions, said base having an aperture formed therein through which said prong is adapted to be moved by said handle to pierce a stopper vtherebeneath, further downward movement of said handle serving to fulcrum said lever on the rim of said bottle to raise the edge of said stopper progressively from the mouth of the bottle.

2. A device for extracting disk stoppers from milk bottles or the like comprising, in combination, a disk-like base member shaped to fit into the mouth of the bottle and over lie a stopper, said member having a pair of integral lugs struck upwardly therefrom, a flat elongated lever having one end extending between said lugs and pivoted thereto, 5 and a prong formed integrally with said lever and partially cut therefrom and 'curved downwardly on an arc concentric with the pivotal axis of said lever, said prong being adapted to pierce and remove a stopper when swung downwardly through 10 an arc of less than90. p

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto affixed my signature.

WILLIAM H. MATTHIEs, 

